Japan's Hitoshi Ono in training ahead of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

24 years in 140 characters: Never mind 140 characters: All Blacks put 145 points on them in 95. Beat Zimbabwe in 91 and drew with Canada in 07. Usually score fine tries

Coach: John Kirwan

Captain: Takashi Kikutani

World Cup record:

1987: Pool Stages

1991: Pool Stages

1995: Pool Stages

1999: Pool Stages

2003: Pool Stages

2007: Pool Stages

Record in 2011: P9 W7 L2

Coached by John Kirwan, the All Black wing who set the tone for the tournament of 1987 with his devastating running, Japan can still only gaze up at him and admire the quality that still eludes them: size. They broke their run of 13 defeats at the World Cup with a draw against Canada in 2007 and contributed to one of the mini epics of that same World Cup in a 35-31 defeat by Fiji, but this one is going to be tough. The Brave Blossoms face first France, then New Zealand. Please note that they will be without the fly-half Ryohei Yamanaka, banned for applying a growth treatment (to boost his moustache) that contained a steroid.

Key player: New Zealand is a rugby exporter to Japan, but few players have gone through more zig-zags than centre Ryan Nicholas – born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, of Cook Island heritage, educated in New Zealand and now a Brave Blossom through residency.

Commentator's kit: Much to David Campese's chagrin, the leading try-scorer in Tests is Daisuke Ohata, who scored 69 tries in 58 games for Japan.